Best Buy Says It Has Killed 'Showrooming' For Good

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Kim Bhasin | Business Insider


http://i.imgur.com/LNY7OBv.jpg

Best Buy is confident that its latest policy change will kill "showrooming" in its stores for good.

Starting on March 3, the retailer will price match all local retail competitors, along with 19 "major online competitors" in all product categories, whenever a customer asks for it, the company announced .

“There is no doubt that this new policy ends showrooming for Best Buy customers,” company spokesman Matt Furman told Bloomberg .

Back during the holiday rush, Best Buy announced a temporary price-matching initiative. This is its permanent version.

Showrooming, the practice of looking at items in a physical store then going online to make the actual purchase, has been a big worry for consumer electronics stores. Customers showroom electronics items more than any other category, according to data from comScore .

Chris Morran at the Consumerist obtained an internal document from Best Buy that announces the change and has more details. Here's what it says:

Starting March 3, 2013 Best Buy will price match the current pre-tax price for new, identical, immediately available products from local retail competitors and select designated major online retailers at the time of purchase only. (No subsequent price matching of competitors is allowed)

If Best Buy lowers a price on a product (online or in-store) we will allow price-matching up to 15 days following the original purchase. This applies to all customers including Reward Zone Premier Silver members. Please note: After a transition period for Reward Zone Premier Silver members through April 18, 2013, the 15 day period of the Price Match policy goes into effect (post-purchase – Best Buy only).

There has also been one major change to Best Buy's return policy.

The "Return and Exchange" period is being cut in half to 15 days from its previous length of 30 days. All returns will still require a receipt and I.D., plus Reward Zone Premier Silver members will retain their 60-day return eligibility.

Here is the full list of big online competitors that are included in the price-matching guarantee:


Amazon.com
Apple.com
Bhphotovideo.com
Buy.com
Crutchfield.com
Dell.com
Frys.com
hhgregg.com
HP.com
HomeDepot.com
Lowes.com
Newegg.com
OfficeDepot.com
OfficeMax.com
Sears.com
Staples.com
Target.com
TigerDirect.com
Walmart.com

[redred]

good luck

[Muddy]

This is good for the consumer..

[RBP]

This is good for the consumer..

Yes, Target did the same thing. The problem though is many of the chains have unique part numbers that are slightly different models. They won't honor it on the virtually same model if it's "unique" for that store. It can take some research.

[Muddy]

Yes, Target did the same thing. The problem though is many of the chains have unique part numbers that are slightly different models. They won't honor it on the virtually same model if it's "unique" for that store. It can take some research.

Targets slippery..

Back on bestbuy though.
I went in there and was looking at the new bluetooth Bose speaker and asked them if they would match Costco's price. They said sure, no problem..

[RBP]

Targets slippery..

Back on bestbuy though.
I went in there and was looking at the new bluetooth Bose speaker and asked them if they would match Costco's price. They said sure, no problem..

Nice.

[Muddy]

They also seem to be fairly knowledgeable of the products..

[Teh One Who Knocks]

They also seem to be fairly knowledgeable of the products..

The people at Best Buy? :-s

Not at any Best Buy I have ever been into anywhere :hand:

[Muddy]

I had a girl help me in the laptop dept. and she was very accommodating.. But! Also keep in mind I live in a pretty nice area..

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Every Best Buy salesperson I have ever interacted with only cared about "upselling" to a more expensive product when a cheaper version would do the same thing. I am 99% sure that Best Buy employees get a commission based on how much they sell. Not a good way to be selling electronics IMHO because it's way easy to get taken advantage of in there if you don't know what you really need.

[Muddy]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Mine was pretty good. :)

[RBP]

Every Best Buy salesperson I have ever interacted with only cared about "upselling" to a more expensive product when a cheaper version would do the same thing. I am 99% sure that Best Buy employees get a commission based on how much they sell. Not a good way to be selling electronics IMHO because it's way easy to get taken advantage of in there if you don't know what you really need.

I am pretty positive they don't get commission - at least not here. When I worked for TigerDirect I know for fact they didn't, so unless that's changed...